Author: Eric Gilbert

The flow of warm, moist air combined with strong sunshine in the late afternoon on Monday raised the temperature to a maximum of 26.2C at 17.02, which was exactly 6C above average. It was also the warmest day since 7th August 2018.

It was a dry day with the UV level again in the ‘very high’ category. There was very little wind, a maximum air movement, cannot call it a gust of wind, of just 9mph on one occasion.

A very warm night was to follow when the thermometer did not fall below 16.2C, which was 6.1C above average and the warmest night since 13th October 2018.

Steady rain began to fall this morning, Tuesday, just after 02.00 with, after a short break, a longer spell of steady rain from 04.00 petering out just after 08.00. The rainfall for the past twenty-four hours amounted to 5.5mm bringing the monthly total to 69.8mm, which is 131% of the 35-year average. We have been fortunate that the recent ‘downpours’ have passed to the west and east again.

At 08.00 on Tuesday morning the rain had virtually stopped from the hang back of heavy cloud from the weather front in very still conditions.

A bright start on Sunday produced almost 4 hours of sunshine but shortly after 2pm the cloud, which had been thickening, began to blot out any brightness. Even so, the thermometer reached an above average maximum of 22.1C (+1.9C).

A very mild night was to follow who a minimum of 15.6C, which was 5.5C above average and the warmest night since 11th September.

Monday initially gave a little brightness but by 08.00 the cloud had thickened blotting out any chance of sunshine as another weather front approached from the south. However, at 08.00 the thermometer read 17.9C, which was the warmest at that time since 6th August as mild, humid air began to flood the country.

Update on Monday at 17.45: late afternoon strong sunshine lifted temperature to 26.2C at 17.02, which was exactly 6C above average in very light winds. It was the hottest day since 7th August 2018.

With the anticyclone over the UK resulting in high pressure on Saturday we enjoyed a day that brought 12.6 hours of sunshine. This boosted the temperature to a maximum of 22.2C, the third warmest day in June after 25.6C and 22.3C on the 1st and 2nd respectively. This peak was exactly 2C above average.

A mild night followed with the thermometer not falling below 11.4C, which was 1.3C above average and only the second occasion in June when both the maximum and minimum were above average. There was a significant variation between the two consecutive nights with a difference of 7C.

Sunday morning dawned with much cloud obscuring the sun as the cloud, in advance of the next weather front, began to edge in front the Atlantic with the recent high pressure sadly moving off into the North Sea. By 08.00 the the thermometer had eased upwards to 13.3C as limited bright periods emerged through the cloud cover with the barometric pressure having fallen by 4mb to 1017.1mb. There is a notable cool breeze, now blowing from the east, making the early morning feel quite fresh.

Summer returned on Friday with 11.3 hours of sunshine and, for only the third day this month, an above average temperature with a maximum of 20.7C (+0.5C).

It was a dry day, only the sixth this month with the UV level of 8.5 rising into the ‘very high’ category.

With clear skies overnight, no cloud blanket, much warmth was radiated into the atmosphere giving the second coldest night this month with a minimum of 4.6C (-5.7C) at 04.58.

Saturday arrived with the sun shining strongly in a blue sky that lifted the temperature to 15.1C at 08.00 giving the promise of a summer’s day ahead, the result of the highest barometric pressure this month at 1021.0mb.

Update on Saturday at 17.05: summer returned with a maximum temperature of 22.2C at 15.37, which was exactly 2C above average. This was the third warmest day in June after 25.6C and 22.3C on the 1st and 2nd respectively. A dry day with the UV level again into the ‘very high’ level, but it is midsummer!

Thursday gave us 9.5 hours sunshine as the anticyclone in the eastern Atlantic began to have an effect on our weather. With pressure rising there were fewer clouds and only one shower of rain amounting to 0.8mm that occurred between 11.28 and 12.03.

It was not the sunniest day in June due to variable cloud, that was on the 1st with 11.5 hours, when we had wall to wall sunshine.

The UV level rose to its highest since 2nd June with a reading of 8.2, which was in the ‘very high’ category.

The westerly breeze, gusting strongest at 16 mph, restricted both the maximum and minimum temperatures that were below average with 18.9C (1.3C) and 7.5 ((-2.6C).

Friday started with strong sunshine as the sun rose that lifted the temperature to 13.9C at 08.00 when the barometric pressure read 1018.5 mb, the highest since 9th June, and continuing to rise steadily as the anticyclone eases in over the UK.

Update on Friday at 16.55: at last the thermometer rises above average peaking at 20.7C (+0.5C), only the third time this month. A dry day and UV reaches ‘very high’ level.